RESULTS Weekly Update July 16, 2024

Quote of the Week

“Wouldn’t it be great to get beyond the hunger issue that plagues millions of children and adults across America?”

– RESULTS Snohomish volunteer Willie Dickerson in a June 26 letter to the editor in the Snohomish Tribune

Table of Contents

• You can make a difference this week
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

You can make a difference this week

Congress may be on recess, but we are not! Here are two powerful actions you can take this week to advance our crucial campaigns. Your advocacy is making an impact every single day. Thank you!

1. Resolutions on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Increasing access to routine vaccines during childhood is a big reason why fewer kids are dying around the world, hitting a record low last year. But almost 5 million children still died before their fifth birthday. That’s why we are supporting two important congressional resolutions on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. During the recent Gavi pre-pledging conference, the Biden Administration pledged at least $1.58 billion over five years. Now we must see that the pledge becomes reality as we approach the full fall replenishment conference and work through the budget process. (Read more on this.) Can you ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Gavi resolutions currently in the Senate (S.Res. 684) and House (H.Res.1286)? Use our online action today to make your requests.
2. Urge Congress to protect SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is America’s last line of defense against hunger. Serving tens of millions of people each month, SNAP reduces food insecurity for families and lifts millions from poverty each year, many of them children. With benefits already low (averaging around $7 per day per person), the House bill would cut SNAP benefits by $30 billion over the next decade. It is important to push back at this and any proposal that would cut SNAP benefits, limit eligibility, or restrict food choice for SNAP beneficiaries. Use our online action to tell Congress to protect SNAP. Also, use our SNAP letter to the editor alert to call on lawmakers in the media to protect and strengthen SNAP in the Farm Bill.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Join this week’s town hall about the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass case ruling on homelessness. On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Grants Pass v. Johnson that the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment does not extend to laws that criminalize homelessness. Join RESULTS and other housing justice allies to learn how this landmark decision will impact people experiencing homelessness and those working to end it. You’ll also hear what to expect next, what actions you can take with your lawmakers, and how you can engage others to push back on policies that punish people experiencing homelessness and poverty. The webinar town hall is this Thursday, July 18 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Register today! Then please submit a letter to the editor decrying the Grants Pass decision and urging Congress to act.

Debriefing the Policy Landscape after the SCOTUS Term (part two). In case you missed it, please join Michael Santos, RESULTS U.S. Poverty Associate Director, on Tuesday, July 30 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss some of the high-profile rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court that would affect millions of people living in poverty and their relationship with the federal government. You can listen to part one of this debrief online. This second debrief will recap the ruling on Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and its impact on our mission. Bring questions you may have about these cases could affect our work with Congress. No registration required.

Thank you for showing support for SNAP. Recently, RESULTS and our allies gathered signatures on a letter from national and state groups urging Congress to protect and strengthen SNAP in the new Farm Bill. In the end, over 1,400 groups signed on, including many local RESULTS groups. Thank you for helping push Congress to pass a Farm Bill that reduces hunger, not make it worse. View the final letter with group signers.

What’s going on with the Child Tax Credit? That’s the title of one of our latest blogposts. Take a look for the most up-to-date information on the state of play for the Child Tax Credit straight from Senior Policy Associate David Plasterer.

Announcements

Election engagement webinar tomorrow. We are needed now more than ever to educate candidates, and the community, on our issues. We must be ready to boost campaign messages that uplift the needs of people experiencing poverty. Learn how to speak to candidates. Get them on the record on our issues. How? Learn more at the “Making the Elections about Poverty” webinar on Wednesday, July 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET as led by Ken Patterson. The RESULTS Grassroots Impact Team has curated a great selection of election resources to support you from now to beyond November 5 as we position ourselves to hit the ground running with the 119th Congress in January. Check out our Election Engagement resources online and request a recording of our recent National Webinar on election engagement at [email protected].

Welcome Kasapo Chibwe to the RESULTS Educational Fund Board of Directors! You, our volunteers, have elected Kasapo Chibwe (RESULTS Northern Virginia) as your new Grassroots Director. Kasapo works for World Vision as a policy advisor for global health. She has a master’s in health communication from DePaul University. Her professional background has been in public health with experiences in HIV/AIDS research and teaching public health at the University of Zambia. Her experience as a busy volunteer with RESULTS will be a great contribution. We offer our heartfelt thanks and admiration to Jennn Koo for her three years on the board. During her term on the Board of Directors, Jennn contributed dozens of hours to planning and preparing Grassroots Town Hall events. In Board meetings and in committee meetings she was a strong advocate for diversity and equity in the growth of our organization. She brought a laser focus on the values of RESULTS and the perspectives of the volunteers to her service. Finally, thank you to Elizabeth Brown for her strong candidacy. Elizabeth offered enthusiasm and experience for our mission and for the steps our volunteers take to fulfill that mission. The participation of powerful advocates like Elizabeth is essential to the future of our organization. Stay tuned for more on our blog. 

2025 RESULTS Fellowship application is now open. The RESULTS Fellowship is now accepting applications for the 2025 Fellowship class. If you know someone who would make a great Fellow, please urge them to apply today. Also join us for “Making an impact on Capitol Hill: Behind the scenes with RESULTS advocates” on July 25 at 12:00 p.m. ET. This spring, thirty-six Fellows fanned out across Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress and staff. Hear from three of these inspiring RESULTS Fellows. Through stories, video, and photos taken that day, they will describe what it was like for them to walk the halls of Congress for the first time and how their meetings went. They will also describe how RESULTS is transforming their lives. This year is the 10th anniversary of the RESULTS Fellowship. Please register to join us for this lively conversation and celebration!

Please submit your advocacy reports. If you need to report your lobby meetings, media publications, or outreach events, you can find the applicable report forms on our website.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule: This week, Congress is on recess.

Find these and other events on our website Events Calendar.

Tuesday, July 16: Together Women Rise advocacy chapter webinar, 8:30 p.m. ET. Learn more about this opportunity.

Wednesday, July 17: Making the Elections About Poverty, 8:30 p.m. ET. Register today.

Thursday, July 18: City of Grants Pass v. Johnson: Grassroots Townhall and Conversation with Local Activists and Organizers, 1:00 p.m. ET. Register for this important webinar.

Monday, July 22: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 p.m. ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Tuesday, July 23: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information.

Wednesday, July 24: Media Office Hour, 2:00 p.m. ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494.

Thursday, July 25: Making an Impact on Capitol Hill – Behind the Scenes with RESULTS Advocates, 12:00 p.m. ET. Read for more information.

Tuesday, July 30: Debriefing the Policy Landscape After the SCOTUS Term (part two), 1:00 p.m. ET. No registration necessary.

Wednesday, July 31, New Advocate Mentor Community Call, 8:00 p.m. ET. Register today.

Saturday, August 3: National Webinar, 1:00 p.m. ET. Register for the webinar.

Typically, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Grassroots Resources

• EOPs: Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
• Actions and volunteer resources: Visit our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].
• Please report your actions. Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our form to add to/edit your info and to sign up for updates and alerts.
• Share your story. If you have an inspiring story about advocacy, please tell us about it. Also, if you want to celebrate the actions of a new volunteer, sharing about the experience.
• Questions for the Board? If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
• Staff and jobs: RESULTS Staff directory and job postings.